Officials broke ground this week on a $46 million expansion and renovation project at Guthrie County Hospital, funded primarily through a U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) rural development loan program. The project is supported by a $37 million USDA Community Facilities loan, announced last August by U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins. Yesterday (Wednesday), USDA Rural Development Iowa State Director Michael Sexton attended the groundbreaking. He says, “This critical project is going to have a direct and positive impact on the health and safety of Iowans in Guthrie County and surrounding counties. Under the leadership of President Trump and Secretary Rollins, USDA is making good on our commitment to infrastructure and support for healthcare in rural Iowa.” Plans for the hospital include a 16,000-square-foot addition that will house a behavioral health room in the emergency department, an MRI room, exam rooms, and laboratory space, upgrades to nurse call technology, alarm systems, a fire suppression system in the ambulance garage, and renovations to the food service areas of the facility. The Guthrie County Hospital’s campus will be under construction for roughly 2.5 years, with final completion slated for late 2028.
